"because my head was grey, my back covered "with stripes, and I was lame of the left leg by "the malice of an overseer who stuck a pitch"fork into my ham. But 'Squire Ball knowed "I was trusty; and though self praise is no "praise, he has not a negur on the plantation "that wishes him better than I; or a young man "that would work for him with a more willing "heart.

"There is few masters like the 'Squire. He "has allowed me to build a log-house, and take "in a patch of land, where I raise corn and "water Melions.* I keep chickens and ducks, "turkeys and geese, and his lady always gives "me the price of the Alexander market for my "stock. But what's better than all, Master "never refuses me a dram, and with the help of "whiskey I don't doubt but I shall serve him "these fifteen years to come. Some of his

negurs impose on him; there's Hinton, a mulatto "rascal, that will run him in debt; and there's

* Dick's log-hut was not unpleasantly situated. He had built it near a spring of clear water, and defended it from the sun by an awning of boughs. It was in Mr. Ball's peachorchard.

A cock that never strayed from his cabin served him instead of a time-keeper; and a dog that lay always before his door was an equivalent for a lock. With his cock and his dog, Dick lived in the greatest harmony; and notwithstanding the pretensions of a white man to superiority over a black one, neither the cock nor the dog would acknowledge any other

master but Dick.

Let, one of the house-girls, who will suck the eggs and swear it was a black snake. But I "never wronged Master of a cent,* and I do "the work of Hinton, of Henry, and Jack, with"out ever grumbling. I look after the cows, dig "in the garden, beat out the flax, curry-comb "the riding nag, cart all the wood, tote the "wheat to the mill, and bring all the logs to "the school-house."

Such is the history of the life and slavery of Dick the negro, as he delivered it to me word for word. It will, perhaps, exhibit a better picture of the condition of negroes in America, than any elaborate dissertation on the subject. But it aspires to more credit than the mere gratification of curiosity. It will enable the reader to form a comparison of his own state with that of another, and teach him the unmanly grief of repining at the common casualties of life, when so many thousands of his fellow-creatures toil out with cheerfulness a wretched life under the imprecations and scourgings of an imperious task-master.

Mr. Ball was son-in-law to Counsellor Carter, of Baltimore, who had formerly resided in the woods of Virginia, and emancipated the whole of his negroes, except those whom he had given with the marriage-portion of his daughter. Of

this he afterwards repented, and in a fit of religious enthusiasm wrote a serious letter to Mr. Ball, exhorting him to free his negroes, or he would assuredly go to hell. Mr. Ball whose property consisted in his slaves, and whose family was annually augmenting, entertained different nctions; and with much brevity returned answer to the old gentleman's letter, Sir, I will run "the chance."

તા

But the period is hasting when I must leave Mr. Ball and the worthy families in his neighbourhood, and another page or two will conduct me out of the woods of Foboke. I had been three months invested in the first executive office of Pedagogue, when a cunning old fox of a New Jersey planter (a Mr. Lee) discovered that his eldest boy wrote a better hand than 1. Fame is swift-footed; vires acquirit eundo; the discovery spread far and wide; and whithersoever I went, I was an object for the hand of scorn to point his slow unmoving finger at, as a schoolmaster that could not write. Virginia gave me for the persecutions I underwent a world of sighs, her swelling heavens rose with indignation at old Lee and his abettors. But the boys caught spirit from the discovery. I could perceive a mutiny breaking out among them; and had I not in time broke down a few branches from an apple tree before my door, it is probable they would have displayed their gratitude for my instructions by throwing me out of my school

window. But by arguing with one over the shoulders, and another over the back, I maintained with dignity the first executive office of Pedagogue.

I revenged myself amply on old Lee. It was the custom of his son (a lengthy fellow of about twenty) to come to the Academy with a couple of huge mastiffs at his heels. Attached to their master (par nobile fratrum) they entered without ceremony Pchoke Academy, bringing with them myriads of fleas, wood-lice, and ticks. Nay, they would often annoy Virginia, by throwing themselves at her feet, and inflaming the choler of a little lap-dog, which I had bought because of his diminutive size, and which Virginia delighted to nurse for me. I could perceive the eye of Virginia rebuke me for suffering the dogs to annoy her; and there lay more peril in her eye than in the jaws of all the mastiffs in Prince William County.

"Mr. Lee," said I, "this is the third time I "have told you not to convert the Academy into a "kennel, and bring your dogs to school."-Lee was mending his pen "judgmatically." He made no reply, but smiled.

I knew old Dick the negro had a bitch, and that his bitch was proud. I walked down to Dick's log-house. Dick was beating flax.

"Dick," said I, "old Farmer Lee has done me "much evil-(I don't like the old man myself, "Master, said Dick)-and his son, repugnant to

my express commands, has brought his father's "two plantation dogs to the Academy. Re66 venge is sweet

Right, Master," said Dick. "I never felt so happy as when I bit off Cuffey's great toe and

"swallowed it

"Do you, Dick," said I, "walk past the "school-house with your bitch. Lee's dogs will "come out after her. Go round with them to દ your log-house; and when you have once "secured them, hang both of them up by the "neck."

"Leave it to me, Master," said Dick. " I'll "fix the business for you in a few minutes. I "have a few fadoms of rope in my house-that "will do it."

I returned to the Academy. The dogs were stretched at their ease on the floor. "Oh! I am

glad you are come," exclaimed Virginia; "those great big dogs have quite scared me." In a few minutes Dick passed the door with his slut. Quick from the floor rose Mr. Lee's two dogs, and followed the female. The rest may be supplied by the imagination of the reader. Dick hung up both the dogs to the branch of a pine-tree; old Lee lost the guards to his plantation; the negroes broke open his barn, pilfered his sacks of Indian corn, rode his horses in the night-and thus was I revenged on Alexander the Copper Smith.

Three months had now elapsed, and I was com